Kolkata, 27 April (H.S.):

Campaigning for the second and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections concluded on Monday evening. All eyes are now on the polling scheduled for April 29, which is being seen as politically crucial as it covers the ‘core belt’ of South Bengal—long considered a stronghold of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

A total of 142 Assembly seats will go to polls in this phase, with 1,448 candidates in the fray. The Trinamool Congress and the Congress have fielded candidates in all 142 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting 141 seats. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has fielded candidates in around 100 constituencies.

According to the Election Commission, polling will take place across East Burdwan, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Nadia. A total of 1,463 nominations were received, of which 15 were rejected. The highest number of candidates—19—are contesting from Bhangar constituency in South 24 Parganas, while the lowest, five candidates, are contesting from Goghat (SC) seat in Hooghly.

This phase will see 3,21,73,837 voters exercising their franchise, including 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women, and 792 third-gender voters.

North and South 24 Parganas are among the most critical districts, together accounting for 64 Assembly seats. Political analysts believe that performance in these two districts often plays a decisive role in forming the government. Howrah and Hooghly, with 34 seats combined, are also expected to influence the overall outcome. These regions, once strongholds of the Left, have largely been dominated by the TMC over the past decade, though the BJP has mounted a strong challenge this time, making the contest highly competitive.

One of the most closely watched contests is in Kolkata’s Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is in the fray. She faces BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in a high-profile battle. The two had earlier faced off in Nandigram in 2021, where Adhikari emerged victorious. This time, around 6.79 lakh voters will decide the fate of this prestigious seat.

Jadavpur is another key constituency, where CPI(M) has fielded former Kolkata Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya against TMC’s Debabrata Majumdar. Other important seats such as Bhatpara, Barrackpore, Chandannagar, and Uluberia North are also witnessing intense electoral dynamics shaped by diverse social and political factors.

Major issues dominating the campaign include voter list discrepancies, citizenship, border security, illegal infiltration, women’s safety, employment, and development. In border districts like Nadia and North 24 Parganas, illegal infiltration emerged as a key electoral issue, with the BJP aggressively raising it, while the TMC focused on its development schemes and welfare programmes.

The Election Commission has deployed extensive security arrangements to ensure peaceful polling. Nearly all polling stations will be covered by central paramilitary forces, with special monitoring in sensitive and highly sensitive booths. Webcasting, CCTV surveillance, and continuous flag marches are being conducted to ensure free and fair elections.

A total of 2,321 companies of central forces will be deployed in the second phase. North 24 Parganas alone will see 507 companies, including 112 in Barasat police district, 62 in Bangaon, 123 in Basirhat, 50 in Bidhannagar, and 160 in Barrackpore.

In the first phase, voting was held in 152 seats with over 92% turnout, a record in the state’s electoral history. This high turnout has further heightened the significance of the second phase.

Counting of votes will take place on May 4, after which it will be clear which party secures a majority in the 294-member Assembly. If the TMC wins, Mamata Banerjee is set to become Chief Minister for a fourth consecutive term.

Overall, the April 29 polling is being viewed as a decisive moment in West Bengal politics, where over 3.21 crore voters will determine whether the TMC retains power or the state witnesses a political change.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey